Conservation Grants
Spring 2025 Conservation Matching Grants available to SCI Chapters
The SCI Foundation (SCIF) wants to help chapters expand our conservation impact through matching grants by providing up to $5,000 toward approved projects! The SCIF Board recently approved the reinstatement of conservation matching grants for FY2025 with an open application period from March 1 – 30, 2025. This is great news as it allows SCIF and SCI Chapters to pool their financial resources to accomplish conservation projects locally and internationally. It also gives us an additional avenue to build partnerships with state and federal agencies, non-government organizations, and local conservation organizations. All grant applications must come from a SCI Chapter and any active chapter engaged in conservation projects is eligible.
Chapters may apply for up to $5,000 annually in matching funds to support projects for wildlife conservation management, conservation research, or conservation law enforcement. Eligible projects could include wildlife population surveys, implementation of wildlife management plans, purchase of equipment for state agencies to conduct conservation projects, reintroduction and translocation of species, and habitat restoration or improvement projects. Proposals should include a project description and estimated budget, as well as an explanation of how it will benefit sustainable use conservation.
In an effort to ensure grant money is utilized by as many chapters as possible, each Chapter is limited to only one grant per year. The overall amount of grants is limited to the funding available in the SCIF annual budget. A chapter cannot receive a matching grant in excess of 50% of the chapter’s annual 30% contribution to SCI/F, and the grant amount may not be greater than 50% of the monetary amount the chapter invested in the project.
The open window to apply for these conservation grants is March 1 – 30 each year. Each application will be reviewed by the Conservation Matching Grants Subcommittee made up of SCIF volunteers and staff to ensure each chapter is in compliance with SCI/F Bylaws and that the project is within SCIF matching grant guidelines before a grant is awarded. All eligible applications will be reviewed and ranked by the Subcommittee. Grants will be funded in the priority of their review based on their ranking and available funding. The Subcommittee shall make recommendations for grants to the Conservation Committee, which will seek approval from the SCIF Board. If the Board approves a matching grant application, the Chapter will be notified by the SCIF Director of Conservation and Education or his/her designee.
Any Chapter receiving matching grant funds from this program must provide a post-project report to the Conservation Department along with media materials (e.g., photographs and video of project activities). Timely and high-quality reporting is critical to SCIF communications and outreach efforts about Chapter conservation activities and continuation of the matching grant program.
For more information about the Conservation Grants contact Dan Brooks, Conservation Program Manager at dbrooks@SCIFirstforhunters.org. SCIF is proud to fund these grants to SCI Chapters. It demonstrates that hunters as a community are seriously invested in conservation. Working together allows us to accomplish more worldwide as dedicated conservation partners.
Since 2000, SCI Foundation has provided more than $80 million to promote science-based conservation through wildlife research, capacity building in governments, youth and teacher education, and humanitarian programs that show the importance of the hunting community in society around the world. Growth of SCI Foundation has continued to gain momentum through charitable donations from SCIF and SCI members. Throughout the world, SCI’s approximately 50,000 members and 190 chapters contribute time, talent, and financial support to local, national, and international projects.
